Baby Powder Lawsuit Filed in California

A California woman who allegedly developed uterine cancer after using Johnson’s Baby Powder and Shower-to-Shower for feminine hygiene has filed a products liability lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson.

Free Confidential Lawsuit Evaluation: If you or a loved one has been injured by a talcum powder product, you should contact our law firm immediately. You may be entitled to compensation by filing a suit against the manufacturer and our lawyers can help.

Update: MDL Proposed for Talcum Powder Litigation

July 25, 2016 – With over 1,200 lawsuits filed by women who allegedly developed cancer from Johnson & Johnson’s talcum powder products, a motion has been filed to consolidate the complaints into a multidistrict litigation (MDL) in the Southern District of Illinois. The lawsuits allege that J&J ignored studies which identified an association between its Baby Powder and Shower-to-Shower body powder and ovarian cancer. At least 11 such complaints have been filed in 10 federal jurisdictions, according to court documents.

What’s the Problem?

July 21, 2016 – According to the complaint, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California earlier this month, Plaintiff Dolores Gould used both Johnson’s Baby Powder and Shower-to-Shower for decades. In all those years, neither product carried a warning about an increased risk of cancer.

Gould was diagnosed with cancer in 2006, and although she has been in remission since 2007, she was forced to have her ovaries, uterus and Fallopian tubes removed.

Plaintiff alleges that J&J’s talcum powder products have long been advertised as a safe way to eliminate wetness and odor, particularly when applied around the genital area. This marketing campaign was conducted despite the manufacturer’s knowledge that its Baby Powder and Shower-to-Shower Body Powder could increase the risk of ovarian and uterine cancer, according to the suit.

The complaint cites numerous studies (the first of which date back to the early 1970s) which found a link between talc — a mineral composed of oxygen, silicon and magnesium — to cases of ovarian cancer. Gould claims that over 22 independently conducted studies have identified an increased risk of cancer in women who used talc-based products around their genitals.

As a result of these problems, increasing pressure has been put on Johnson & Johnson to remove its talc-containing products from the market, or at least place a prominent warning on their labeling. These efforts have thus far met with significant resistance, according to the complaint. The FDA has also declined to require action on the part of J&J to warn women about the link between talcum powder and cancer.

Gould’s lawsuit is the most recent in a wave of similar litigation sweeping across the U.S. in recent years. In February, the family of a woman who died from ovarian cancer was awarded $72 million, and in May, another plaintiff prevailed against Johnson & Johnson, obtaining a $55 million award.

There are currently more than 1,200 talcum powder lawsuits pending against J&J in courts across the U.S. The complaints accuse the company of disregarding or minimizing the cancer risk associated with use of its Baby Powder and Shower-to-Shower. As the number of cases grows, the prospect of a multidistrict litigation (MDL) being formed to streamline pretrial rulings and evidentiary processes grows more likely.

Do I Have a Baby Powder Lawsuit?

The Class Action Litigation Group at our law firm is an experienced team of trial lawyers that focus on the representation of plaintiffs in baby powder lawsuits. We are handling individual litigation nationwide and currently accepting new cancer cases in all 50 states.

Free Confidential Case Evaluation: Again, if you were diagnosed with cancer after using Johnson’s Baby Powder or Shower-to-Shower, you should contact our law firm immediately. You may be entitled to a settlement by filing a suit and we can help.